Bed-wheelchair



NOV. 8, 5 J PIAZZA BED-WHEELCHAIR Filed May 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

SALVATORE J. PIAZZA ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1966 Filed May 14, 1964 s. J. PIAZZA 3,284,126

BED-WHEELCHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- SALVATORE J. PIAZZA @eau,

ATTOPNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,284,126 Patented Nov. 8, 1966 3,284,126 BED-WHEELCHAIR Salvatore J. Piazza, N. Lake St., Ransomville, N.Y. Filed May 14, 1964, Ser. No. 367,310 3 Claims. (Cl. 296-40) This invention relates generally to convertible bedwheelchair constructions and pertains, more particularly, to certain improvements therein for alleviating elfort and strain involved in the manipulation, transport and the like of bedridden patients.

The energy, effort and strain attendant upon moving bedridden and like patients from one place to another, as for example from a bed to a wheelchair and the like, is considerable and, in addition, the patient himself must undergo considerable disturbance. According to the present invention, there is provided not only a convertible bed-wheelchair assembly so that minimum disturbance of the patient will occur, but also, the construction is such that the transition between bed and wheelchair and vice versa is achieved and effected by power driven means such that a minimum of energy may be expended by the attendant to effect the conversion. In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided which operates efficiently either as a bed or as a wheelchair, the construction including wheel support means which are extensible and retractable to increase and decrease the supporting area aiforded thereby in accordance with the particular usage to which the device is to be put.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved assemblage as aforesaid wherein in addition to an articulated frame for achieving the bed or wheel chair affect, the assemblage is provided with opposite side extensions which operate to provide confinement and comfort for the patient when the device is utilized.

as a wheelchair.

The structure according to the present invention utilizes a series of hydraulic servomechanisms for achieving the several requisite movements attendant upon the construcappear from the description hereinbelow and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device according to the present invention showing the same in wheelchair position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 1 but illustrating the same in bed position; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mattress utilized in conjunction with this invention.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the convertible bed-wheelchair includes a main frame assembly which may be in the form of a base indicated generally by the reference character and a pedestal assembly 12 rising therefrom. The base may conveniently take the form of a plurality of side members 14, 16, 18 and 20 which may be of rectangular configuration and rigidly interconnected by any suitable means. A plurality of support members such as the straps 22 may be provided to extend inwardly from the corners of the assembly 10 to support the pedestal assembly 12. The pedestal assembly may include a peripherally extending strap or bar assembly 24 having a series of corner posts 26, 28, and 32 rising therefrom substantially as is shown and the sides of the pedestal may be closed by the wall means such as those indicated by the reference character 36.

The base and pedestal assembly is provided with wheel support means which may take the form of a plurality of guide members 38 rigidly afiixed to the main frame assembly and which are aligned relative to the main frame so as to extend in lateral directions pointing away from each associated corner of the main frame. Each of the guide assemblies may comprise a pair of channel members such as those indicated by reference characters 40 and 42 which are spaced apart to leave a slotway therebetween and which receive extension bars such as those indicated by the reference character 44. Each extension bar is provided with a gooseneck portion 46 at its outer end mounting a wheel assembly indicated generally by the reference character 48, each wheel as sembly being mounted for pivotal rotation about a vertical axis through the medium of a support post 50 received in the outer end of the gooseneck 46 in each case. A suitable lug or the like depends from each of the members 44 within the confines of the slotway on the underside of the associated guide assembly 38 and pivotally connected to this lug or other mechanism is a tie rod such as that indicated by the reference character 52 and which extends therefrom to a spider cam assembly indicated generally by the reference character 54. The cam 54 is pivoted for rotation about a vertical axis by means of a post or pin member 56 associated with a main frame cross member 58 and the various tie rods 52 are connected to separate arms of this cam. The cam is provided with an actuating arm 60 which connects with a piston rod 62 of a hydraulic actuator 64 which, when operated, serves to impart rotational movement to the cam 54 to thereby extend and retract the wheel members 48 as will be clearly understood. By this mechanism, the wheel means may be extended to provide a broad supporting base for the device when the same is utilized as a bed as indicated in FIG. 2 or the wheel means may be retracted to provide a relatively smaller supporting base when the assembly is disposed in wheel chair position such as is indicated in FIG. 1.

Rigidly afiixed to the upper portion of the pedestal assembly is the main frame of the patient supporting structure and which, as is specifically shown, is of U- shaped configuration, having the side portions or members 66 and 68 and an interconnecting member 70. Pivotally connected to the open end of the main frame is a U-shaped head section frame including the side members 72. and 74 and the interconnecting portion 76, the open ends of the main and head section frame portions being disposed adjacent each other. These two sections are pivotally interconnected and such interconnection may take the form of side extensions 78 such as are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, being pivotally connected as at 80 to the main frame section.

At the opposite end of the main frame of the patient supporting structure, there is provided a pair of rectangular foot section frame members indicated by reference characters 82 and 84. These members or section halves are individually pivotally connected to the main frame portion as by hinge members as indicated by reference character 86 in FIG. 2. Each of the frame sections is of open configuration and may be filled in. with suitable resilient supporting members such as the joined links 88 spring attached to the frame section and interconnected in the manner illustrated in the upper portion of FIG. 1.

The frame sections, as will be seen from a study of FIGS. 1 and 2, are movable between a position in which they are all substantially coplanar, as is shown in FIG. 2, whereby the assemblage is utilized as a bed for a patient and a position in which they are angularly related such as is shown in FIG. 1 for disposition and usage as a wheelchair. It is a particular feature of the present invention that each of the frame sections is provided with side extensions such as those indicated by reference characters 90 and 92in association with the main frame section, .-each of the side extensions being pivotally joined as by the hinges 94 to its associated section for movement between a coplanar position as is shown in FIG. 2 to up- ,standing position as is shown in FIG. 1. Thus, when the device is utilized as a wheelchair, the side extensions are folded up to provide side supports and confinements for the patient for a maximum of comfort and safety.

The hydraulic actuator 122 is, likewise, anchored to the main frame section and operates a cam plate 124 serving to reciprocate the rods 126 and 128 which extend to the opposite side extensions 94 and 92 respectively, the side extension 92 having an actuating arm 130 associated with the rod 128 and a similar situation prevails for the opposite side extension 94.

In the case of the side extensions 132 and 134 for the foot section, it will be appreciated that because they are ,144 rigidly relative to the main frame section and its extensible piston rod 146 is pivotally connected to a further rod 148 which is rigid with the head section. Lastly, a further hydraulic actuator 150 is anchored to the rod 152 rigid with the main frame or pedestal and its piston rod 154 is pivotally joined to a rod 156 rigid with the associated foot section frame 84. A similar situation prevails relative to the section 82, the piston rod therefor being shown by reference character 158 being pivotally joined to the rod 160 rigid with such section 82.

In order to power the several hydraulic actuators, a suitable motor 170 is mounted within the pedestal of the device and is utilized to drive a suitable pump 172, hydraulic reservoir being indicated by reference character 174. A suitable battery 17 6 may be provided for driving the motor 170 and, in addition to the assemblages as is shown, the mechanism may employ a suitable charging device operable from conventional A.C. circuitry so that the device may be plugged in to recharge the battery 176 when desired.

For the purpose of operating the several hydraulic assemblies hereinabove disclosed, a series of actuating levers may be provided therefor. Thus, as is shown in FIG. 1, a lever 180 may be provided for actuating the wheel assembly 48, a lever 182 may be provided for actuating the head section, a lever 184 may be provided for operating one of the foot sections 82 or 84 while another lever 186 may be provided for operating the other foot section. Additionally, three separate levers 188, 190 and 192 may be provided for operating the side extensions of the several sections. In addition, a master switch assembly 194 may be provided which, preferably, is key controlled to prevent unauthorized actuation of the mechanism, and which serves to control the electric motor 170.

With the assembly as above described, it will be manifest that a minimum of effort will be involved on the part of an operator in the manipulation and movement of patients within a hospital or the like. For example, it will be clear that since the same mechanism may be utilized for the bed and a wheelchair, no movement of a patient between two such entities is necessary. Additionally, by virtue of the utilization of a hydraulic or similar actuators as described, a minimum of disturbance to the patient is involved with a minimum of effort on the operators part for effecting a required positional disposition of the patient.

I claim:

1. A convertible bed-wheelchair assembly comprising, in combination,

a support assembly including an upstanding pedestal having a plurality of wheels supporting the same,

a main frame member rigidly mounted on said pedestal,

a head section pivotally connected to one end of said main frame and forming an extension thereof, a foot section pivotally connected to the opposite end of said main frame and forming an extension thereof,

said main frame, said head section and said foot section each having side extensions pivotally connected thereto,

means for selectively moving said foot and head sections, relative to said main frame, between coplanar bed positions and angularly disposed wheelchair position,

means for moving said side extensions between coplanar and upstanding positions relative to their respective frame and sections,

and means for extending and retracting said wheel means simultaneously both laterally and longitudinally of said base to vary the supporting area afforded thereby. 2. A convertible bed-wheelchair assembly comprising, in combination,

a base having a pedestal thereon, an articulated frame mounted on said pedestal and including a main section, a head section and a foot section, the head and foot sections being pivotally connected to opposite ends of said main section,

means for selectively moving said foot and head sections between angularly depending and angularly upstanding positions, respectively and coplanar positions relative to said main section,

wheel means carried by said base,

means for extending and retracting said wheel means laterally of said base to vary the supporting area afforded thereby, and including a cam rotatably mounted on said pedestal, tie rods extending from said cam to said wheel means and mechanism for rotating said cam,

each of said sections having opposite side extensions pivotally attached thereto,

and means for selectively moving said extensions between coplanar and upstanding relation to their respective sections.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said pedestal is of generally rectangular form, guide members carried by said pedestal and angling outwardly thereof adjacent the four corners of the pedestal, said wheel means including extension bars received in said guide members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 909,411 1/1909 Hockney. 1,344,088 6/1920 Lundbom 582 2,694,437 11/1954 Glaser 280'34 3,138,805 6/1964 Piazza.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

P. GOODMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONVERTIBLE BED-WHEELCHAIR ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUPPORT ASSEMBLY INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING PEDESTAL HAVING A PLURALITY OF WHEELS SUPPORTING THE SAME A MAIN FRAME MEMBER RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID PEDESTAL, A HEAD SECTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE END MAIN FRAME AND FORMING AN EXTENSION THEREOF, A FOOT SECTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID MAIN FRAME AND FORMING AN EXTENSION THEREOF, SAID MAIN FRAME, SAID HEAD SECTION AND SAID FOOT SECTION EACH HAVING SIDE EXTENSIONS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING SAID FOOT AND HEAD SECTIONS, RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN FRAME, BETWEEN COPLANAR BED POSITIONS AND ANGUALARLY DISPOSED WHEELCHAIR POSITION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SIDE EXTENSIONS BETWEEN COMPLANAR AND UPSTANDING POSITIONS RELATIVE TO THEIR RESPONSIVE FRAME AND SECTIONS, AND MEANS FOR EXTENDING AND RETRACTING SAID WHEEL MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY BOTH LATERALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID BASE TO VARY THE SUPPORTING AREA AFFORDED THEREBY. 